Seattle's Magnolia Neighborhood News Blog

Free screening of “Race to Nowhere” at McClure Wednesday night

Posted on January 22nd, 2013 by Sara

From our sister site Queen Anne View

By Laura

The McClure Middle School PTSA is hosting a free screening of the documentary “Race to Nowhere” on Wednesday night. Filmmaker and mother Vicki Abeles’ “Race to Nowhere” premiered at film festivals in 2009 before opening in select theaters in 2010; it highlights the stories of students “who have been pushed to the brink by over-scheduling, over-testing and the relentless pressure to achieve.”

A concerned mother turned filmmaker aims her camera at the culture of hollow achievement and pressure to perform that has invaded Americaʼs schools. It is destroying our childrenʼs love of learning and feeding an epidemic of unprepared, disengaged, and unhealthy students.

This remarkable new film shines a light on the price our kids pay for this “race to nowhere.” Cheating is commonplace, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, and ironically, young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.

Race to Nowhere is a call to families, educators, experts and policy makers to examine current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become the healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens in the 21st century.

You can watch the trailer and read more about Race to Nowhere online. The McClure screening is free and open to all. Advance registration is helpful but not required.